Manglisi Cathedral

The Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Manglisi, known as Manglisi Sioni, was one of the most important centers of Christianity in Georgia. The first church on this site was built in the 4th century by Saint Nino and is considered one of the oldest Christian structures in the country. The temple housed a part of the Life-Giving Cross, on which Christ leaned during the crucifixion. The walls of the temple were adorned with beautiful frescoes, which are monuments of Georgian medieval painting. Currently, only fragments of these ancient paintings can be seen in the interior of the cathedral, especially in the dome of the church.